Voice Over Localization, How It Plays a Big Part in Brand

Many companies have made a lot of efforts to reach new territory for their business. Localization is also one of them. Incorporating localization as a marketing strategy will help the products or services to become known globally to new target audiences. In these efforts, voice-over localization is also applied in some campaigns.

Voiceover is an essential part of a global project to reach a newer audience. In this generation, audio and video content is continuously in demand. This is due to the convenience of using media as a campaign and promotion. It will help to grab the newer generation that is prone to use video as their way of knowledge and entertainment source.

Large or small companies will invest their time and efforts to make sure voice-over is done properly for their target audiences in many regions. The voiceover is usually done to the corporate video, explainer video, video game, ad campaign, and many more.

This process will ensure that the content of the video will be conveyed properly to target audiences and engage with their life. There are thousands of languages out there. This means there are thousands of possibilities to reach bigger audiences and make a profit for the company. Localization using voice-over is one of the ways to succeed in a more engaging way.

Especially since there are many regions that prefer content with their own language. Using the proper voice-over is the best way to engage and reach their life.

Importance of Voice-Over Localization on Brand

There are some benefits a brand could take if incorporating voice-over in their localization processes. It is important and should be considered if a brand wants to target a new market for the company.

• Focus on Both Visual and Audio

Nowadays, people are prone to focus more on visuals when searching for information online. An engaging message wrapped in playful visuals will take their attention in an instant. However, many promotional videos that use subtitles can sometimes be a bother since people need to watch and read at the same time.

This is the reason why audio is important. It will help people to be more focused on the message in the video rather than the need to translate or read the subtitles. Especially if the video is using other languages.

This is where voice-over takes action. Doing localization using voice-over will ensure the meaning of the content is not lost and convey it the proper way using the target language. Then the audience can receive the message with attention.

• Closer to the Target Audiences

Voiceover in video promotion can also help your brand to become closer to the target audience. An emotional and inspiring message can be translated well and prevent any cringe moments or cultural differences that could happen by using only subtitles.

The target audience can relate to the campaign and are willing to take a look even further at the brand. The audience will not feel foreign about the campaign and help to get closer to the brand.

• Benefit the Products and Services

Moreover, voice-over in video localization or games can also help players become more immersed in the game. It can prevent them from pausing the game since they would understand the content clearly. This will help game publishers to become more well-known to different ranges of age.

That is because not many countries have good fluency in English. Using their own local language can help to reach different people and different social spectrums. Especially if your company targets the younger generation. Hence, becoming one of them is important.

• Cultural Things

Using only English voice-over in video games or video promotion is probably a common thing. However, it will not help if the message is not as strong as in their culture.

Since values from one place to another can be quite different. Adapting and changing some things for the sake of the target audiences is a must. Hence, it will prevent the promotion from becoming less useful than it should be.

• Become More Sensitive

Trying to blend in with a different culture will need a lot of effort. Companies like game publishers need to know what is considered a sensitive topic in certain regions. Becoming blinded by this topic and approaching it in an unmannerly way is a fast track to fail in your effort.

Blend in a way that you become one of them. This voice-over translation process will make sure your joke is not sensitive for some people, your choice of words is not cringe, and your message is still relevant to the people. It is important and cannot be neglected.

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Guide to High-Quality Voice-Over Localization

In localization using voice-over, there are some things that are different from the regular localization process. Regular localization process will only require text and the use of some tools. In voice-over, localization requires a lot of other processes that use different services entirely. Here is the guide for it.

• Voice Talent

The process of voice-over will need a lot of help from voice talent. However, using professional voice talent is a good choice since they can adhere to the qualifications needed. Use a professional who has expertise in this field. If you are blind to this matter, try to use localization service companies that will help with the recording, voice talent scouting, and quality assurance. Trusting this matter into a more capable hand is better than doing it improperly.

• Script

Voice talent is not the only thing that matters the most in this process. You cannot forget the importance of the script for the video. The best script for this purpose probably is not the one that has the same translation as the original, but the one that conveys the same meaning in a way that is culturally correct in the target audiences.

It is not necessarily the same as the original. You can change the grammar, the sentences, or idioms that suit the target audiences. Therefore it could convey meaning that is relevant and matches with the situation.

Do not try to translate everything into the target language. There are some idioms or phrases that are better to be left alone. The most important is how the script is still understandable and reaches the right audience.

• Recording and Editing

If the script is good and voice talent is chosen, the next thing is the recording and editing process. This process will need certain equipment and requirements to ensure clear sound. Make sure that in the recording process, recording is done properly to prevent delay in the future.

In the editing process, post-recording, mixing, and synchronizing are done with the video. This needs details and experience. Hence, an experienced editor is needed.

• Quality Assurance

After the recording and editing process, make sure the voice-over localization is entering the phase of quality assurance. It will help to define any mistake or change that is not pointed out in the previous process.

Therefore, it could help the finished products before it published. If using a localization company, try to use one that provides these services. It is important and plays a good role in localization.

• Brand Identity

A company that wants to implement voice-over need to adhere to a certain image or branding that suits the company. Voice-over is the audio personification of the brand or services. It means that the voice-over should convey and reflect the entire company image.

Voiceover that does not suit the company will change the entire nuances of the brand. It could lead to inconsistency and make the campaign unmatched by the image of the company. Hence, it is important to choose voice talent and script that suits the brand image.

It will help the personality of the brand become more voiced out and helpful for marketing. For example, finance brands suit professional settings perfectly while tech or food company suits casual settings more.

• Consistency

Another important thing is the consistency of the message. When changing the script from the original to the target language, sometimes you will need to change some phrases so they suit the audience. It is important to keep this change from start to finish.

Especially if the voice-over translation is done continuously. The localization team needs to keep the change in the glossary to keep it consistent. Inconsistency is not a choice for a brand that wants to reach a global market. However, a channel that suits the situation of the target audience is still acceptable.

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Challenge of Voice-Over Localization

Common localization alone will take a lot of challenges and difficulties. This will also be applied in voice-over. There are matters that you will face regarding this process from the first to the very end. Here are some of the challenges:

• Voice Talent

The challenge that could occur in voice-over localization is a matter of voice talent. Voice-over needs to be done with the perfect talent that has the expertise in the target language. Experiences in the same fields are also required.

Sometimes, the voice talent can use a celebrity or public figure. This could create new problems since they are inexperienced in this field. Problems could arise if they cannot produce the voice that is necessary. It is important to deliver the tone and words that are adapted to the audience.

Some voice talent for video games also needs to adhere to certain standards. Some video game fans actually have certain expectations regarding their favourite characters. It is important for the voice talent to immerse in the characters and convey the right message as the original.

• Technical Requirements

Besides taking more effort, voice-over localization also needs more complex technical requirements and processes. Voice over usually will be recorded life, hence it prevents any retakes or revisions if not careful.

If the mistake is not pointed out in the recording process, then this mistake could made into the final products. This will create more problems and make delays. Hence, it is important to point out mistakes in the recording process before editing. So it can be retaken again before proceeding to the next step.

The recording process also needs certain requirements like software and the recording room. Hence, a company should try to use localization services that deal with this matter professionally.

• Editing Problems

The next challenge is editing. Editing can be quite tough since it is near the finish line. So, any change from the executives, change of script, or even change of situations could make this process delay even further.

Therefore it is important to make sure everything is done accordingly before the recording or editing process. Not to mention the complexity of this process is quite daunting than the recording itself since it needs to adhere to certain standards that suit the brand the best.

Conclusion

Voice-over localization might have challenges that no other localization process will take. However, it is the extra mile of work that actually makes something a success. The efforts of bringing the best quality of localization should be appreciated well since this takes a lot of tasks to begin with.